This spot is about 5 minutes from my house. Why don’t I go up here every night for sunset? I don’t know. I really don’t have a good excuse, because every time I go up there, I come away with something different.
On this night, I walked up there with my son right after the sun dropped below the horizon and we watched the day turn to night together. One of the planets was brightly lit (Venus?) and appeared right above that cool-lookin tree that sits atop. People from Austin know the one I’m talkin’ about. 
May 1st, 2009 00:57 | Birgit
It seems to be a remote and quiet place – or it just looks like one in the photograph. It could be Venus – it is not fully lit and Venus – also called the morning star – or evening star – is very very bright. Did you shoot it with a large tele? I am amazed that you can see Venus partly lit. I love astronomy and just went to an exhibition by a young astro-photographer. Check out his work at http://www.weltraum.com It’s amazing.
May 1st, 2009 02:29 | Trevor Holms Petersen
Trey, Question for you!
Have you, or will you consider placing ads on your site for other photographers? I would love to buy a small slot somewhere on your front page to advertise my photography!
Let me know!
May 1st, 2009 02:36 | Neil Howard
Hey Trey!! was you tripod falling over at the time?
It is unusual to see a tilted image from you, funny that another one of my main contacts did the same thing to me the other day!
Great image, and Birgit is right, that would have to be Venus. It is following close to the setting Sun at moment.
May 1st, 2009 02:55 | Matthew
the places closest to home, periodically provide the most prosperous images. very nice.
May 1st, 2009 05:59 | Chris
Crooked ARG!
May 1st, 2009 06:35 | Larry
Don’t know the day you took this, but this site (Old Farmer’s Almanac) will give you the rise and set times of the sun, moon, and planets anywhere (in the US?) on any day. Then it’s easy to figure out what’s just ahead of the moon, or behind the sun, or whatever.
http://www.almanac.com/rise/index.php
May 1st, 2009 07:59 | Barb
What’s wrong with crooked? It is a beautiful and peaceful shot.
May 1st, 2009 08:42 | Michael Adkins
Why does Venus appear to have a shadow half way across the face. Venus does not have a planet that cast a shadow on the surface like the earth does on the moon. Love the shot but if you had not said it was Venus I would have guessed the moon. Great shot.
May 1st, 2009 08:51 | Indibang
Lovely and unusual image from you. Good capture.
May 1st, 2009 09:51 | Stuck In Customs
Thanks y’all.
(and yes I know it was tilted… I thought it looked kinda cool, and that is why the tilt was so exaggerated, to make it obvious… hehe)
And why does Venus have a shadow? I don’t know! Actually, I think that is not a shadow at all, but just the big circle of light doing something strange with the lens.
May 1st, 2009 10:21 | Cate
I like the tilt – it follows the lines of the tree. It also makes it seem like a very dangerous shot to take – almost falling off the cliff to get an awesome shot
May 1st, 2009 10:23 | Adam
Wow, that is a great shot Trey! I love the tilt and everything else about it. Keep up the great work!
May 1st, 2009 10:33 | Michelle (OrchidPhoto)
I like the tilt! It gives it something extra and makes it surreal. Looks like a very peaceful place.
May 1st, 2009 10:38 | Eleazar Paradise
Cool picture. Is there anyway you could tell us where exactly this location is?
May 1st, 2009 11:28 | Richard Uchytil
The tilt is cool. Very nice photo!
May 1st, 2009 12:12 | Stuck In Customs
Thanks!
Eleazar – this is right by the 360 bridge. When going south, just pull off to the left there, and there is a trail that leads up to the top of the cliff.
May 1st, 2009 14:01 | Stuck In Customs
Trevor,
Well… I don’t really pick and choose ads based on photographer or content… just as long as it is not offensive. We do have advertising on the site, however. Just contact the biz side at ratcliffphotos@gmail.com if you are interested!
May 1st, 2009 14:40 | Dave Wilson
Trey, I think that’s the first time I’ve seen someone turn round and take a shot in the opposite direction! Folks heading up there are normally desperate to get a photo of the Pennybacker Bridge and obviously fail to appreciate the potential offered by the other half of the Lake Austin view.
As ever, beautifully captured and presented.
May 1st, 2009 19:15 | Georgete Pereira
What a great image. By the way, what a great blog. Very inspirational. Hope one day I’ll take photos like you do.
Have fun!
Georgete
May 1st, 2009 21:18 | Tim Thompson
Looks like Venus to me. Venus has phases just like the moon. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phases_of_Venus
Very cool pic.
May 2nd, 2009 08:12 | Gail Stayton Moshier
Yeah, I got the picture up today!! Yesterday, I went to your main website and saw it but couldn’t comment. I love this picture, Trey!!! What a peaceful setting. That is quite a magnificent tree. Great job!! Now on to today’s picture, I hope.
May 3rd, 2009 11:21 | elton
I like the tilt in the image. Its a good departure from the ‘levelled’ horizon. and that’s the moon btw. don’t think venus would look that big on a 15mm lens.
May 6th, 2009 15:14 | Jeff Greenwald
Nice photo, but at 15mm I’d almost have to say that what you’ve captured is the moon and not Venus. While Venus is very bright and does exhibit phases like the moon, what you’ve got here would probably require something on the order of 1000mm or so (lens wise) to get that level of detail. What you’re seeing here is a crescent phase of the moon with a bit of ‘earth shine’ illuminating the area that’s in the “shade”. What people don’t often realize is that the moon is really small itself when taken in photographs, even with a 300mm telephoto it’s still not very large in the frame.
Venus or not, still a very nice shot.
May 17th, 2009 17:54 | Pamela Hurst
This is beautiful! Love the reflections.